‘World Ostomy Day Event’ was held in cooperation with the Wound, Ostomy, Incontinence Nurses Association (YOİHD) and our university Health Research and Application Centre Gazi Hospital and Faculty of Nursing.

The event, which took place at The Ankara Hotel on 18 October 2024, was attended by Prof. Dr Zehra Göçmen Baykara, President of YOİHD and faculty member of the Department of Nursing Principles of Gazi University Faculty of Nursing, Prof. Dr Sultan Ayaz Alkaya, Dean of the Faculty of Nursing, Prof. Dr. Sultan Ayaz Alkaya, and Prof. Dr. Sezai Leventoğlu, faculty member of the Department of General Surgery of the Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University. Sezai Leventoğlu, Hacettepe University Department of Psychiatric Nursing faculty member Prof. Dr. Duygu Hiçdurmaz, Gazi University Health Research and Application Centre Gazi Hospital Stomatherapy Unit stoma and wound care nurse Aysel Ören Hin, individuals with ostomy and their families, stoma and wound care nurses and academicians. The event's opening speech, which started with a moment of silence and the reading of the National Anthem, was made by Prof. Dr. Sultan Ayaz Alkaya, Dean of the Faculty of Nursing. Prof. Dr. Sultan Ayaz Alkaya emphasised the importance of such events in reducing the physiological and psychosocial problems of individuals with ostomy, increasing their adaptation to the stoma and improving their quality of life.

At the opening ceremony, Prof. Dr. Zehra Göçmen Baykara, President of YOİHD and faculty member of the Faculty of Nursing, said they were happy to organise this event. Prof. Dr Zehra Göçmen Baykara, who explained the purpose of the establishment and activities of the association, mentioned the importance of the event in the adaptation of individuals with an ostomy to life with a stoma. Prof. Dr. Zehra Göçmen Baykara concluded her speech by thanking those who contributed to the event's organisation.

The event, which included a cinevision show titled ‘Everywhere with Good Care’ describing the adaptation of individuals with an ostomy to life with a stoma, a question-answer activity called ‘Let's Ask the Expert’ moderated by Prof. Dr Sezai Leventoğlu, Prof. Dr Duygu Hiçdurmaz and stoma and wound care nurse Aysel Ören Hin, and experience sharing sessions, was attended by the lecturers of the Department of Music Education of the Faculty of Education, Faculty of Fine Arts Education of our university. Lecturer. Erkan Tonyalı and Assist. Assist. Berkcan Kayaarslan is a faculty member of the Department of Music Education, Faculty of Education, and Faculty of Fine Arts Education.

This event aimed to share the experiences of individuals with ostomy to reduce physiological and psychosocial problems and improve their quality of life. At the end of the event, individuals with ostomies said that the sharing of experiences was very productive; meeting other individuals with ostomies like themselves increased their morale and motivation, increased their knowledge on many issues related to ostomy, found answers tı ther questions and asked for such events to be held continuously.